


More Than My Loss

by theLilyBird



Series: The Loved, The Lost, and The Fallen [3]
Category: Borderlands
Genre: AU - Canon Divergence, M/M, Weird Science Shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-01 23:09:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6540367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theLilyBird/pseuds/theLilyBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhys has lost everything--Jack, Angel, his job at Hyperion. There's nothing left for him to lose and everything for him to gain. (Finale)</p><p>Sequel to More Than Love</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pandoran Losses

**Author's Note:**

> Can anyone guess who's the Loved, the Lost, and the Fallen? I'll give you cookies if you can figure it out.

Jack always said Pandora wouldn't agree with Rhys. 

  


Every time Jack had a “business trip” on Pandora, Rhys would ask to come along. And every time--without exception--Jack would laugh and kiss him sympathetically before telling him he wasn't cut out for Pandora.

  


_ I can't spend every waking moment babysitting your ass, Rhys. As nice an ass as it is.  _

  


It didn't matter to Rhys now. He was going to Pandora and no one was going to stop him. He was a man with nothing left to lose. 

  


Fuck it if Pandora swallowed him whole and spat out his bones.

  


Then the deal went sideways, upways and downways, leaving Rhys on his ass. If he didn't feel obligated to get Vaughn out of this alive, he would've given up by now.

  


Then it happened. Jack--well, his holographic likeness--stood beside him and Rhys was literally knocked on his ass.

  


He had to excuse himself, escape, get away from this...thing.

  


But it followed him. It was in his head.  _ Jack  _ was in his head. 

  


Except this wasn't Jack, at least not  _ his  _ Jack. This Jack tried to wrap his hands around Rhys’ throat and kill him--not that Jack hadn't tried to kill him before. This Jack didn't know what happened between them. This Jack didn't know what he did to Angel. This Jack didn't even know he was dead.

  


So Rhys kept it to himself. He swallowed down the feelings bubbling up inside him and kept his past with Jack a secret.

  


Not that he didn't prod the hologram every so often. He'd ask him about Nakayama and the work they were doing. Jack had always kept that particular project close to his chest. Rhys didn't know why.

  


Rhys knew Holo-Jack was only keeping him safe because their lives were tied together--if Rhys went down so did Holo-Jack. He also knew that every time he trusted Holo-Jack, he thought he was trusting  _ Jack  _ Jack, but was instead entrusting his own life and the lives of his friends to a complete and total psychopath. Rhys tried to remember that. Emphasis on  _ tried _ .

  


Now, as he stood in Jack's office for the first time in over a year he had temporarily forgotten Holo-Jack wasn't  _ Jack  _ Jack. Until he addressed the photo of Angel on the desk.

  


Holo-Jack ’s response broke his heart.

  


“Jack, what's the last thing you remember doing? Before, I mean,” Rhys asks, suddenly curious.

  


Jack eyes Rhys suspiciously for a moment before responding, “I was looking into caterers for the third quarter party. It was last minute; I'd killed the original caterers. Their food was terrible. Don't feel bad for them, Rhysie.” 

  


Rhys’ heart clenches. Holo-Jack was so close to being  _ Jack  _ Jack.

  


Then he's betrayed by what remained of his beloved Jack.

  


Anger flares up in him and he wishes Holo-Jack would die. Rhys will kill him even if it kills himself to do so.

  


So as he stares at the stuttering image of Jack, the remains of Helios burning around them, he's barely listening. 

  


“My own daughter betrayed me,” he says and it makes Rhys focus.

  


He can feel the tears welling in his eyes, but he tries not to cry. Because this isn't Jack and he can't see Rhys weak. 

  


“Your own daughter?”

  


Even as he's fading out, Holo-Jack looks saddened by the knowledge.

  


Holo-Jack looks at Rhys intensely, “But you never betrayed me, did you, Rhysie?”

  


Rhys feels his heart skip a beat and he loses himself in the thought that maybe Jack remembers him. He lets his guard slip and suddenly Jack is in his head again--choking him.

  


Part of him thinks this is a good way to go. Death by Jack's hands seems like a fitting end. But another louder, stronger part knows better.

  


So he fights off Jack. He rips his own robotic arm out of it’s socket and carves the port out of his head. When he reaches the ECHOeye Jack is on his knees, he's begging and Rhys almost cracks.

  


“I'm sorry, Jack. I'm  _ so _ sorry, but this is how it has to be,” he tells the begging man before him.

  


Holo-Jack looks shocked for a moment. It quickly passes as he launches himself at Rhys, but Rhys rips the implant from his skull and Holo-Jack is gone.

  


Even knowing it's not Jack. Even knowing if he gave the man an inkling of life back that he'd kill Rhys in an instant; Rhys pockets the eye.


	2. Project Guardian Angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get weird.

Rhys sits in his office at Atlas, feet up on his desk as he reclines in his chair. “It's good to be king,” he mutters to himself, feeling somewhat content.

 

Happier than he's been in a long time, at least.

 

Then the eye catches his attention. He still hadn't gotten rid of the damned thing. He had it put in a glass case to keep on his desk instead.

 

Fiona thought it was creepy, but Rhys didn't really care.

 

He picks up the glass cube and examines it. Rhys imagines Holo-Jack in the eye, looking back at him and screaming, banging on the glass. The thought makes him shiver and he puts the eye back on the desk.

 

Vaughn comes in. “How's it going, Mr. CEO?” he asks, smiling at his friend.

 

“It's good, everything's good,” Rhys replies.

 

“You know Jack would be proud of you, right? The real Jack. The one who loved you,” Vaughn says, voice dropping to a whisper.

 

Rhys shrugs. He tries not to think about the real Jack, because then he thinks of Holo-Jack and Angel and all the terrible shit that's happened because of the real Jack.

 

“Don't shrug man--wait is that your old ECHOeye? Dude why do you still have that?” Vaughn says, moving to get a closer look.

 

Rhys shrugs again. “Holo-Jack is in there. I couldn't say goodbye yet,” Rhys says.

 

Vaughn eyes the taller man, “Why don't you say goodbye then?”

 

Rhys--unsurprisingly--shrugs.

 

“Bro, seriously, stop that,” Vaughn says. He continues, “You could hook him up to a computer not connected to the rest of the system. Something without an ECHOnet connection. It wouldn't be hard. Then you could say goodbye and move on with your life.”

 

“That's actually kind of brilliant,” Rhys says, taking his feet off the desk.

 

“I know,” Vaughn says proudly.

 

It only takes a hour before Rhys has a computer disconnected from the system  _ and  _ the ECHOnet in his office.

 

Vaughn stands off to the side of the desk, feeling a bit awkward. 

 

Rhys connects the eye and instantly the screen turns pixelated blue and slowly the pixels come together to form Holo-Jack. 

 

“Man does it feel friggin’ good to be back,” he says, rolling his shoulders. “Oh kiddo, you made a huge mistake hooking me up to--to…Rhys where am I?”

 

Rhys waits, letting the man feel panicked a little while longer.

 

“Rhysie, I'm serious. Where. Am. I.”

 

“You're in a computer. It's just not connected to anything,” Rhys confesses, shrugging. 

 

Holo-Jack only seems to be more panicked at this knowledge. “Everything's connected to something, kiddo. Like--like…Rhys why can't I see anything?” Holo-Jack asks. He sounds afraid, but Rhys isn't quite sure he's not faking it.

 

“No cameras,” Rhys replies simply.

 

“I'm only doing this once, Rhysie. Will you  _ please _ let me see? This is kinda freaking me out,” Jack admits and both his face and tone match his statement. He looks scared shitless.

 

Rhys looks to Vaughn who just shrugs.

 

_ Been a lot of shrugging today. Must just be one of those days _ .

 

Rhys hits a key and the light beside the mounted camera turns on.

 

Holo-Jack sighs in relief. “Thanks,” he says and it seems genuine.

 

It's quiet for a long time. No one moves or makes a sound.

 

“You want something, kiddo? Or you into torturing people now?” Holo-Jack questions.

 

“You're not a person, Jack,” Rhys says.

 

“Ouch. That's cold, even for me.”

 

Rhys shrugs.

 

Holo-Jack’s attention shifts to Vaughn for a moment before settling back on Rhys. “Why’s he here? Moral support?” Holo-Jack scoffs.

 

“I can shut you off, right now. You know that, right?” Vaughn threatens.

 

“And I'll let him,” Rhys agrees. 

 

Holo-Jack groans, “Okay, what do you want from me, kid? An apology?”

 

“An explanation,” Rhys supplies.

 

This makes Holo-Jack cock a brow, “Of what, kiddo?”

 

Rhys sighs--this is harder than he wants it to be. “Before you tried to kill me--with my own hand--you said something about me never betraying you. I wanted you to explain yourself,” Rhys says, crossing his arms.

 

A slow smile spreads across Holo-Jack’s face and Rhys knows  _ that's not fucking good _ . “Well, Rhysie. Funny story.  _ Your  _ Jack kept journals. He was shit at keeping with it, the entries are spread out and don't make much sense together, but when I was in Helios’ systems I listened to them,” Holo-Jack says. “Most of the entries were about you.”

 

Rhys doesn't like the way Holo-Jack disconnects himself from the real Jack. It makes him uncomfortable.

 

“You thought you could use my love for the real Jack to keep your ass alive,” Rhys says. It would be funny if it didn't royally suck.

 

Holo-Jack shrugs, “That it?”

 

Rhys hadn't really thought it through this far.

 

“You're going to shut me off again,” Holo-Jack says, more to himself than to Rhys. 

 

“It's not like you have much to offer me,” Rhys says. “Unless you have better ideas?”

 

Holo-Jack turns pixelated again, but only for a moment.

 

“Let me out of here,” Holo-Jack snarls. Then he says it again, louder and more like a roar. “LET ME OUT! I CAN'T BE IN HERE!” Holo-Jack shouts. He pixelates until he's just a blue screen.

 

It's quiet between Vaughn and Rhys as they stare blankly at the screen.

 

“Well that was anticlimactic,” Vaughn says finally.

 

“Something's wrong,” Rhys says, unable to tear his eyes away.

 

Vaughn sighs, “C’mon, bro. You know you're just saying that because you don't want to let go.”

 

Rhys shoots him a look and Vaughn concedes. “Fine. What's wrong?”

 

“Jack, you in there?” Rhys calls out.

 

The pixels move strangely, forming and unforming idle shapes--squares, triangles, then stars and hearts.

 

“Executing phaseshift,” a warbled voice says.

 

“Vaughn, where did you get this?” Rhys asks, looking over at his friend while still keeping the screen in view.

 

Vaughn rubs at the back of his neck. “Helios,” he confesses. “I thought in case it didn't work out he wouldn't be allowed any new information. Guess I picked a broken one.”

 

“Boo hoo. Get g--g--good,” says the same warbled voice.

 

Vaughn suddenly turns away and cards his fingers through his hair. “Well shit,” he says.

 

“Vaughn, you okay?” Rhys asks, unable to stop watching the shapes. They're getting more and more complex--like it's learning.

 

“Rhys, that's not Jack anymore,” is all he says.

 

Rhys scoffs, “It was never really Jack. I always knew that. Even when I couldn't accept it--I knew that.” 

 

“No, Rhys. I mean whatever that is--it isn't Jack anymore. It's some _ thing _ else.”

 

Rhys looks at Vaughn. Even from behind he looks panicked.

 

“V--Vault Hunter,” the warbled voice says.

 

The shapes stop and Rhys focuses in on the screen again. The pixels swirl until finally they form two words: GET GOOD.

 

“Vaughn, I think it's talking to you,” Rhys says, reaching blindly behind himself to hit Vaughn to get his attention.

 

Vaughn turns to look at the screen. 

 

Both men just stare even after the words fade away.

 

Vaughn leans forward on the desk, getting closer to the screen. “Say something,” he says.

 

The pixels swirl again, but they form nothing.

 

“Use your words,” Vaughn says and Rhys’ attention snaps to his friend.

 

The pixels start to move around almost violently, forming guns and knives. Then finally they stop to form a single word: DADDY.

 

Then it finally hits Rhys--hard. So hard he nearly falls from his chair.

 

“Angel?” Rhys questions, tears welling in his eyes.

 

“Daddy?” the warbled voice says and Rhys starts to cry.

 

“I--I can't sleep. You were around. Thanks,” the warbled voice says.

 

Silently, Vaughn lets tears fall from his own eyes as he stares at the screen. Rhys knows he loved Angel too and that her death had hit him almost as hard as it had hit Rhys.

 

“Angel, baby, what can I do to help you?” Rhys asks, trying to steady his voice.

 

The pixels swirl violently to form and reform the words: NOT JACK. 

 

Her inability to form coherent statements makes it hard for both men to decide what to do next.

 

“Unplug him,” Vaughn blurts, voice wavering slightly. 

 

Rhys does as he's told and the pixels disappear, sending the both of them into a panic.

 

Then the screen sets up a progress bar with four words above it:  **INITIALIZING PROJECT GUARDIAN ANGEL** .

 

“Vaughn, what did Zer0 call the woman who helped him when Jack tried to kill him?” Rhys asks.

 

“The Guardian Angel.”

 

Rhys jumps out of his chair to wrap his arms around Vaughn.

 

“Daddy?” says a female voice that sounds reminiscent of Angel.

 

Rhys turns back to the screen. The woman on it looks like Angel, but older. How old was she when she died? Fifteen?

 

“Hey, munchkin,” Rhys says through the growing second wave of tears.

 

She turns her attention to Vaughn. “Did you ever get good?” she asks.

 

Vaughn chokes out a laugh, “Never as good as you, kid.”

 

Rhys sinks back into his chair. “I missed you, Angel,” he says, calmer now.

 

Angel smiles, “Yeah, same here.”

 

“If you don't mind me ruining this lovely father daughter moment, could I get a little explanation, kid?” Vaughn asks, rubbing at his eyes.

 

“Jack--”

 

“He's still your father, Angel. He loved you,” Rhys interrupts, suddenly feeling the need to defend the man who had caused so much destruction and chaos. Who else would do it, if not Rhys?

 

Angel looks away and starts again, “ _ Dad _ started a project after mother's death, to remove whatever makes me a siren. Needless to say, that didn't work out. The project was abandoned. But after--after what dad did to me, I started it back up with a new purpose. Instead of removing my siren abilities it was supposed to create a clone--identical in every way, except one.”

 

“No siren powers,” Rhys says, voice hollow.

 

Angel nods, “Mmhm. It got far. From what I can tell, it was even finished. I knew I was going to die, Rhysie. I had surrendered to that fact, but before I did I uploaded my consciousness to Helios. Something went wrong--I don't know what. But the point is, I've been lying dormant in Helios’ systems.”

 

Rhys laughs, “You're the virus.”

 

Vaughn raises a brow.

 

“The code monkeys used to talk about a mysterious virus in Helios’ systems. They said the coding was beautiful, but you couldn't touch it or it would wipe the whole of Helios. So they left it alone--left  _ you  _ alone,” Rhys says.

 

Angel smiles again.

 

“So did we wake you up?” Vaughn asks.

 

Angel shakes her head, “Well not technically. Jack-- _ dad _ \--did. On accident. When you put him into Helios, the presence of another A.I. woke me. It was like I could sense…I don't know. Jack took fragments of Rhys with him, I think I recognized it. Of course I had to play hideaway deeper in the systems to keep dad away.”

 

“So you managed to hide from Jack, but then Helios…” Rhys trails off.

 

“Right, I was getting to that. By the time Jack was out of the system, there wasn't enough power left to find you so I went dormant again. Then you plugged him back in and I thought he was you at first. It took a lot to fight him. If I was alive, I think I'd be out of breath,” she says with a laugh.

 

“You're why he wanted out,” Vaughn says.

 

Angel nods, “I could only choke him out so much with him still plugged in and I couldn't fully initialize either.”

 

“So what do you need from us, Angel?” Rhys asks. “We're happy to help.”

 

“I need to find my body,” she says slowly, almost as if she's uncertain.

 

“It wasn't on Helios?” Vaughn asks, pushing in closer to Rhys to see better.

 

“No. It's here. On Pandora. Somewhere,” she says. Her face scrunches up in thought. “Give me access to the ECHOnet. I can find it through that. I didn't get a chance to look around much what with running away from Jack and all.”

 

Rhys makes a move to do as he's told, but Vaughn grabs him by the robotic wrist. “Prove it's really you, kid,” he says, voice firm.

 

“Vaughn,” Rhys protests.

 

“Shut it, Rhys. What was the last thing Rhys ever said to you?” Vaughn asks, still holding Rhys’ wrist.

 

Angel looks suddenly sad. “He said…he said I wasn't going to hurt him. I did. I never got to apologize for that, Rhysie. I'm sorry,” she says, not looking at either of them directly.

 

Vaughn releases his wrist. “Do it. Bring our girl home,” Vaughn says.

 

Rhys doesn't need to be told twice.

 

Angel gasps, “Oh wow. That's a lot. Wow I missed a lot. Jesus there's so much shit to go through.”

 

“Language,” Rhys chides, though he's not sure why.

 

She mouths  _ sorry.  _

 

“Shit, okay, I think I found it. Sending the coordinates now,” she says, smiling. 

 

Rhys leaps up from his chair and grabs his jacket. “Angel, I need you to call Fiona and Sasha to have them meet us. Can you do that?”

 

Angel scoffs, “ _ Can I do that?  _ Of course I can f--do that. I can do that.” 


	3. Regaining Some of What Was Lost

“Is there a reason you brought us to this shit hole?” Fiona asks, turning her attention from the massive abandoned warehouse to Rhys. 

 

Rhys smiles, “Fiona. Sasha. I want you to meet someone.”

 

He moves to stand between the two women and holds out his metal palm. “Angel, I want you to meet some of my friends,” Rhys says.

 

Angel appears and she looks between the two women. “It's always a pleasure to meet daddy's friends. I'd shake your hand, but I don't have hands.  _ Yet, _ ” she says, smiling brightly. She seems to be handling the whole being dead thing a lot better than Jack did.

 

“Daddy?” both women say in unison. They turn their attention to Rhys. 

 

“Care to explain?” Fiona asks.

 

“I'm going to be very honest right now. Like super honest and I kind of need you to  _ not  _ hate me,” Rhys says, forcing a smile and cringing. 

 

Vaughn sighs, exasperated. “She's technically Jack's daughter. But Rhys was bumping uglies with him and became a second father to her. The kid's pretty cool. Ya kinda get attached,” he says with a shrug.

 

“You were doing  _ what  _ with Handsome Jack?” Sasha asks, eyes wide and voice high.

 

“You were boning Handsome  _ freaking _ Jack and you didn't think that was important information?” Fiona asks. 

 

It's quiet for a minute and Rhys is just about to attack Vaughn when Sasha punches him in the flesh arm.

 

“ _ Dayum _ , Rhys. That's some pretty impressive shit,” she says.

 

Fiona’s expression softens. “I guess I understand why you chose him over me now. Doesn't excuse the fact it was a dumb decision in the first place, but I understand it now,” she says, pulling Rhys in for an unexpected hug that Sasha joins in on.

 

Suddenly Sasha pulls away.

 

“Wait, if you and Jack were together, why’d he betray you? And why did you kill him?” she asks.

 

“It wasn't Jack. Not the real Jack. Not  _ my  _ Jack,” Rhys says sullenly.

 

Sasha smiles sadly, “Yeah, well I know what it's like to be betrayed by someone you love.” She looks over to Fiona. “We both do.”

 

Fiona echoes Sasha’s expression. “C’mon let's go get your daughter back,” she says.

 

The four of them--five if Angel counts--wander through the abandoned warehouse with Angel guiding them in the right direction. When they get to a massive metal door with a retina lock on it, everyone turns their attention to Angel.

 

“Executing phaseshift,” she says.

 

Nothing happens and they wait for Angel to do something else.

 

“Oh,” she says. “I keep forgetting I can't do that anymore. That'll take some serious getting used to. Give me a minute. Gotta do this the old fashioned way.”

 

They wait and the door groans when it opens, slow and loud. Lights flicker on and instantly Rhys spies the tank housing Angel’s clone in the back of the room.

 

The clone wears nothing but thermal bandages and Rhys avoids looking directly at her.

 

“Man am I beautiful,” Angel says as they stand in front of the tank.

 

Rhys snorts, “You're as bad as your father.”

 

Angel laughs, “Just get me to the console and I'll take it from there.”

 

He does as he's told, holding his palm out over the console. Angel disappears and the console starts to light up as if someone was physically hitting the keys. Suddenly a drive pops out of the console.

 

Rhys needs no further instructions. He turns back to the tank and sets it to drain the nutrient fluid, when it does Rhys leans in close to find a port at the base of her neck. He inserts the drive and takes a step back. 

 

Angel gasps and pitches forward, forcing Rhys to catch her.

 

He removes his jacket and wraps it around Angel as she shivers in his arms. “Fi, you got any spare clothes in the caravan?” Rhys asks, vaguely gesturing to the relatively nude Angel.

 

“Yeah, I'll be right back,” Fiona says, heading outside.

 

“You're okay, Angel,” Rhys says, cradling her against his chest, wrapped in his jacket.

 

Angel moans and presses her face into Rhys’ chest. “So bright. Forgot what it feels like to be cold.”--she chuckles darkly to herself--“Forgot what a lot of things feel like. I guess dying does that to you.”

 

Fiona comes back a short while later with an armful of clothes. “I didn't know what you'd like, so I brought options,” she says standing above them awkwardly. 

 

Angel turns her head slowly to face Fiona. “Thanks,” she says.

 

It takes some time before Angel feels like moving, but when she does, she doesn't stop. After dressing she continues to move around the lab, going from one console to the other, gathering data. Occasionally she'll break into dance as she moves from console to console with Vaughn tailing her.

 

Rhys stays out of her way as she does so.

 

“So you're daughter is _kinda_ _freaking_ beautiful,” Sasha says.

 

“Amen to that,” Fiona says back.

 

“Didn't call him Handsome Jack for nothing, you know,” Rhys says, crossing his arms as he stands between the two women.

 

Sasha makes an odd gesture around her face, “Yeah, but the mask was kinda super creepy.” 

 

“Should've seen him without it,” Rhys says, reminiscing. “Angel gets it from her father.”

 

“What about her mother?” Fiona asks, watching as Vaughn hands Angel another drive to put data on.

 

“There's so much good stuff here, Rhysie!” she exclaims, looking happy as ever.

 

Rhys nods back at her, smiling. “I'd keep your mouth shut about her mother, Fi,” Rhys warns. “Won't turn out well.”

 

Before Fiona can say something snarky, Sasha speaks. “Why does she call you that?”

 

“Jack called me that. It stuck,” Rhys answers.

 

He knows how he looks right now. Blissfully watching the daughter of the universe's biggest psychopathic asshole as she dances around the laboratory wearing Fiona’s clothes. He knows he's just as crazy as Jack ever was. He has to be to  _ still _ be madly in love with a man who tried to kill him then tried to kill him again with his own hand.

 

“It's cute. This is cute. I'm glad we could do this for you, Rhys,” Fiona says.

 

“Yeah, me too,” Sasha adds. “You deserve to be happy, Rhys.”


	4. To Forgive and To Be Forgiven

“Atlas is pretty cool, Rhysie,” Angel says, pacing around his office, looking at the various objects on display. Her attention settles on the glass cube Rhys still hadn't let go.

 

He laughs uncomfortably, “I've been meaning to get rid of that.”

 

Her attention shoots up to him, “Can I have it?”

 

“Yeah, as long as you don't plug it into anything valuable,” he says, picking up the cube and handing it to Angel. “He's your father, afterall.”

 

Angel smiles slightly, “He really loved you, Rhys. I mean it. Sometimes I think maybe he loved you more than me.” She doesn't seem to hurt at the statement, as if it was a fact she had long since resigned herself to.

 

“Angel, I don't think--”

 

“Then you're thinking wrong. Dad loved you more than he ever loved anything. He'd be pissed as hell if he knew I was telling you this, but he told me as much,” Angel says.

 

Rhys laughs bitterly. “Jack loved the vaults far more than he ever loved me,” he says, shaking his head and throwing himself back into his chair.

 

Angel looks away. “I'm sorry, Rhysie. I know how much he meant to you,” she tells him without looking at him. 

 

“No, Angel, you don't. I love you very much, but no one will ever know what Jack meant to me,” Rhys says, staring past her.

 

Angel just nods, “I love you, too.”

 

She turns on her heel and leaves Rhys alone in his office.

 

***

 

Angel has been back a month and Rhys barely sees her. He feels guilty for what he said that day in his office and wants to make it up to her, but she's nowhere to be found.

 

“Vaughn,” Rhys says, walking up behind the smaller man in the cafeteria.

 

Vaughn startles, nearly tripping and taking his tray full of food with him. Rhys can't help but laugh. 

 

“Yeah, ha ha. Very funny, Rhys. It'll be funnier when knock the head off your  _ actual  _ statue,” Vaughn threatens.

 

Rhys frowns, but lets it slide. “Have you seen Angel around?” he asks.

 

Vaughn raises a brow. “Doesn't she live with you?”

 

“Yeah, but I only see her in the morning, when she leaves in a hurry without saying goodbye. I just wanted to know if you knew what the deal was,” Rhys says.

 

It's slight, but Fiona’s been teaching him how to read people and Rhys catches the apprehension in Vaughn’s features.

 

“What do you know, Vaughn?” Rhys asks, following him to his seat.

 

“Nothing I'm allowed to tell you about,” Vaughn answers.

 

“ _ Tell me _ ,” Rhys says, trying for that tone Jack used when he threatened people.

 

Vaughn laughs, “Bro, I wasn't scared of Jack. Do you think I'm going to be afraid of you?”

 

Rhys relaxes, “Fair enough. It was worth a try, though.”

 

“Sure,” Vaughn says with a shrug.

 

“You're not telling me, are you?” Rhys presses.

 

Vaughn shakes his head, “Nope. I promised the kid. And I'm way more afraid of an ex-siren than I am of you. Sorry, Rhys.”

 

Rhys doesn't bother trying again. Angel, while definitely a sweet girl, could be twice as frightening as her father when she tried. 

 

Instead of pestering, Rhys abandons his efforts for the day and goes home early to wait for Angel to get back. He falls asleep before she returns.

 

“Dad…daddy…Rhysie wake up already you lazy bum,” Angel complains, hovering over her adoptive father.

 

Rhys opens his eyes and screams. Angel falls to the floor in laughter, leaving Rhys to wait for her to calm down before questioning her.

 

“Angel, are you mad at me?” he asks, growing impatient.

 

She stops suddenly and looks up at him on the couch. “What? No, of course not. What would give you that idea?” 

 

“Maybe rarely seeing you. I mean you live here, you'd think I would see so much of you I'd get sick of it,” he jokes. “ _ And  _ I did say that rude thing that one time.”

 

Angel takes his robotic hand in two of her own and presses it against her cheek. “I couldn't be mad at you if I tried,” she says. “I’ve just been trying to keep busy. Dad died a while ago for you, but for me, I just lost him. I’m dealing with it the best I can.”

 

Rhys nods, “Alright. I’ll accept that.”


	5. Intruders in Sector Four

Rhys sit in his office, exhausted and bored after a meeting about…he couldn’t remember. He didn’t sleep well last night: nightmares.

 

He was getting them more and more often. Each one was similar to the last, but sometimes they were the same. It always came back around to Holo-Jack nearly killing him and he usually woke up gasping for air as he clutched at his throat.

 

The door to Rhys’ office opens, revealing an overly excited Angel. 

 

She approaches his desk, smiling brightly. “You  _ have  _ to come with me. Right now. It’s important,” she says, watching him intently.

 

Rhys gets up and follows her to the little office she had claimed as her own. She closes the door behind them and walks behind the desk.

 

“Jack, tell daddy  _ exactly  _ what you told me,” she says, turning the monitor to reveal Holo-Jack.

 

“ _ I’m _ your father, Angel,” Holo-Jack complains.

 

Angel comes back around the desk, “No, Jack. My father is dead. All I have left is Rhys and Vaughn. Now do as I ask or I will shut you down permanently. I’m not a patient person.”

 

Rhys waits, suppressing the protests that bubble up in his throat.

 

Holo-Jack sighs. “I’m not the only copy of Jack,” he says.

 

Rhys can feel his heart beat faster and the breath leave his lungs. “What’re you talking about?” he asks, trying not to get his hopes up too high.

 

“There’s others. Several others. Newer versions. Nakayama just liked me better. I’m before you,” he says.

 

Jack had mentioned on more than one occasion that Nakayama had a  _ thing  _ for him. It made sense that he would prefer Jack before he found Rhys.

 

“Tell him where they are,” Angel says firmly.

 

Holo-Jack rolls his eyes, “Fine. They’re at Nakayama’s old lab. I can show you how to get there, but you’ll need me to get in. The lock is advanced voice recognition software, Angel can’t crack it. Nakayama was crazy paranoid.”

 

“Is this all true?” Rhys asks, turning his attention to Angel.

 

“Of course, I wouldn’t have brought it to you if I had even the slightest doubt. Everything he says checks out. Unfortunately, so does the information about the lock. I won’t be able to open it,” she says. 

 

“How long has he been plugged in?” Rhys asks.

 

Angel lets out an uncomfortable laugh, “Every day for an hour in the past two weeks. We…play chess.”

 

“We’ll talk about that later,” Rhys says. “How long will it take you to get him mobile?”

 

Angel yanks a drive from the computer and Holo-Jack disappears. She reaches back around to plug it into her neck before Rhys can stop her.

 

“Angel! What the hell are you thinking?” Rhys shouts, moving to take the drive out.

 

“Calm down, he’s limited to the drive. He can’t hurt us. I’ll be fine,” she says, starting toward the door. She stops and turns to look at Rhys. “You coming?”

 

***

 

Rhys and Angel stand before a metal door set into the side of a mountain. “This it?” Rhys asks, gesturing to the door.

 

Angel remains silent for moment in what Rhys is beginning to recognize as her pausing to confer with Holo-Jack. “Yes,” she says simply, stepping toward the little box beside the door.

 

“Handsome Jack is home,” Angel says, except her voice isn’t her own--it’s Jack’s.

 

The door starts to open immediately, revealing a lot of old Hyperion tech covered in dust.

 

“This way,” Angel says, guiding Rhys through the initial room and through a series of hallways until they reach a door labeled: NAKAYAMA. “We’re here.”

 

“Daddy’s home,” Angel says, again in Jack’s voice. As soon as the door starts to open she rips the drive out. “How exactly did you deal with that for so long? I thought he could be annoying in person. In my head…” Angel shudders, stepping inside.

 

Rhys chuckles, “Sucks, don’t it?”

 

The room is small and crowded with too large furniture. Rhys heads toward the desk, turning on the computer and trying to keep his heart from exploding from his chest as he does so.

 

“Don’t get your hopes up too high, okay?” Angel says from the doorway.

 

Rhys looks up at her and forces a smile, “I won’t.”

 

Apparently Nakayama left his paranoia at the door; his computer is only password protected. Rhys tries the first thing he thinks of: HANDSOME JACK.

 

Unsurprisingly, it works.

 

It doesn’t take much fishing to find the files. Everything is neatly organized and clearly labeled.

 

“Angel, come here,” Rhys says, gesturing her over. She walks around to stand behind Rhys.

 

“What is it?” she asks.

 

Rhys shakes his head and takes a step back. “I can’t open it. I don’t--I don’t know what I’ll do if he’s not there,” he says.

 

Angel nods and opens the folder.

 

Over her shoulder Rhys stares.

 

**Handsome Jack v1.0**

**Handsome Jack v2.0**

**Handsome Jack v3.0**

**Handsome Jack v4.0**

**Handsome Jack v5.0**

 

“What’re the dates?” Rhys asks, trying to squish the hope rising in his chest.

 

“Version five is...three months before his death,” Angel says. She pulls a blank drive out of her pocket and inserts it. “I’m taking it all.”

 

Rhys can’t help but smile as he watches Angel puts the files on the drive before sifting through the rest of Nakayama’s stuff. She isn’t kidding about taking all of it.

 

Over the loudspeakers an alarm starts to blare. “Intruders in sector 4A.”

 

Rhys looks up to see the words printed on the wall just outside the office: SECTOR 4C. He turns to Angel, “That’s not us. We should still get out of here though.”

 

Angel holds up a finger, “Just a second. I’ve almost got all of it.”

 

“Intruders in sector 4B.”

 

“Okay they’re coming this way, maybe we should get the hell out of here  _ now _ ,” Rhys urges, looking up at the door. 

 

What looks like three people run past the door at top speed. Rhys can hear one of them skid to a stop and call out something to the others. Then they’re running back the way they came.

 

“Shit, shit, shitty shit shit,” Rhys says, starting to panic.

 

Angel pulls out the drive, “Alright I got it. Let’s get outta here.”

 

Before they get to the door the intruders do.

 

“Vaughn? Fiona? Sasha? The hell are you doing here?” Rhys asks, relieved.

 

Vaughn looks away, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, funny story. I  _ may  _ have put tracking devices in the ID badges. I  _ may  _ have also noticed you and Angel leaving the building earlier today and heading off to who know’s where. And I  _ might’ve  _ called Fiona and Sasha to help me investigate.  _ Maybe _ ,” Vaughn says.

 

“Intruders in sector 4C.”

 

“Yes, we noticed, turn the damn alarms off,” Fiona growls up at the ceiling.

 

Rhys rolls his eyes, “I don’t think--”

 

“Intruders have been obtained.”

 

The alarms shut off.

 

“Well as fun as this isn’t--we have what we came for so let’s scram before the system realizes the intruders  _ haven’t _ been obtained,” Angel says, moving toward the door. Rhys follows her.

 

Vaughn looks to Rhys. “What exactly did you come here for?” he asks.

 

Rhys gestures up at the closing door. “Jack,” he says simply.


	6. The Best Kind of Forgiveness

“I’ll need to look everything over,” Angel says when they get back to Atlas. She turns to Rhys and places a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”

 

Rhys spends the next twenty minutes explaining the situation to Vaughn, Fiona, and Sasha.

 

“So what’re you going to do with him exactly? Don’t tell me you’re putting that maniac back in your head,” Fiona says, putting her hands on her hips and giving him a disapproving look.

 

Rhys shrugs.

 

Fiona growls, “You and the shrugging. Stop shrugging. No more shrugging. You’re not allowed to shrug anymore.”

 

Vaughn and Sasha laugh.

 

“You do shrug a lot,” Sasha says through laughter.

 

Vaughn nods, too busy laughing to say anything coherent.

 

“I’m going back to my office,” Rhys grumbles, stalking off.

 

“Hey, Rhys. C’mon man,” Vaughn calls after him. “Let’s go back to your place and play some games. We need to keep you busy.”

 

Rhys stops and nods.

 

The four of them head back to Rhys’ place. It doesn’t have the view Jack’s penthouse did, but it’s just as decadent. Where Jack had floor to ceiling windows Rhys has a mural of the view of Elpis from Pandora. Sasha had painted it for him as a housewarming gift.

 

It’s late when Angel comes home. Fiona and Vaughn have passed out on the couch, leaving Rhys and Sasha to enter a friendly competition of who can stay awake the longest. Neither of them win.

 

“Daddy, get up. I have something for you,” Angel says, shaking Rhys awake, careful not to disturb the sleeping woman in his lap.

 

Rhys rouses slowly and gives Angel a lazy smile. “Hey, munchkin,” he says groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

 

Angel holds out a drive. “It’s really dad. I figured I’d let you make the decision on what to do with him,” she says, looking somewhat sad. Rhys is about to address it when she speaks again. “I’m going to bed now. I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

Rhys takes the drive from her and watches her head upstairs.

 

He doesn’t move for a while, just continues to turn the drive over in his hands. It’s labeled **JACK** in Angel’s elegant scrawl. Finally, he shifts Sasha out of his lap and onto the couch.

 

“Rhys, where are you going?” Sasha asks, sitting up and watching as Rhys makes his way around the massive couch.

 

“To bed,” he answers.

 

Sasha seems to deem this an acceptable answer and lays back down, this time with her head in Fiona’s lap.

 

Rhys makes his way upstairs to his room, closing the door behind himself and shedding his clothes as he makes his way to his bed. He puts the drive on the nightstand and goes to the closet to find something to sleep in.

 

He settles on an oversized t-shirt with the Atlas logo on it and climbs into bed.

 

Rhys lays still in the quiet of his bedroom for a long time, unable to sleep.

 

“Fuck it,” he says finally, sitting up and reaching over to grab the drive from the nightstand. He looks it over only once more before taking a deep breath and holding it to the port in his head. “Here goes nothing,” he says as he presses it in.

 

Rhys isn’t sure how long he’d been out. He isn’t even sure why the drive had knocked him out in the first place. Groaning, he sits back up and pulls out the drive, setting it back on the nightstand.

 

He lays back down, settling into bed, annoyed with and confused about the drive--he would ask Angel about it in the morning. He rolls away from the nightstand to find Holo-Jack laying next to him.

 

“Heya kitten,” he says.

 

Rhys screams at the sight of him, trying to get away and succeeding in falling off the bed.

 

As he lays on the floor, groaning in mild pain and annoyance at himself, Holo-Jack watches him over the edge of the bed.

 

Holo-Jack laughs for a second, but his face quickly turns serious. “Hey kiddo, I wanted to apologize,” he says.

 

Rhys sits up on his forearms. “For what?” he asks.

 

“For trying to shove an endoskeleton into you. For trying to kill you. For hurting Angel. For getting her killed. For dying. For choosing the vaults over you. Take your pick, kiddo. Chances are I’m sorry about it,” Holo-Jack says and he’s uncharacteristically serious.

 

Rhys waits for the other shoe to drop--for Jack to laugh at him and say something asshole-ish about the face he’d been making. But it doesn’t drop and Jack doesn’t laugh. He waits a little longer and when he feels satisfied Jack isn’t fucking with him, he relaxes.

 

“You’re my Jack, aren’t you?” he asks.

 

Holo-Jack smiles slightly, “Didn’t realize you’d staked a claim. But yeah, kitten. I’m version 5.0.”

 

Rhys starts to move to hug the man, but stops halfway.

 

“You’re just in my head,” he says, suddenly sullen.

 

Holo-Jack’s smile fades. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. C’mere,” he says, gesturing Rhys up and sliding backward on the bed.

 

Rhys stands and finds Holo-Jack laying down on his side, propped up on one arm. He pats the empty space on the bed and Rhys lays down beside him.

 

“What--”

 

“Shh. Rhysie, just be quiet and do  _ everything  _ I tell you,” Holo-Jack says, voice sultry.

 

Rhys nods slowly.

 

“Good boy,” Holo-Jack says. “Now get rid of that ridiculous shirt.”

 

Rhys angles himself upward slightly to pull the shirt off over his head before laying back down. He feels weirdly exposed, but Jack’s seen him naked hundreds of times. “Jack--”

 

“I said to be quiet, Rhysie. Don’t make me tell you again,” Holo-Jack says, tone edging on warning.

 

When Rhys doesn’t so much as move Holo-Jack smiles. “Close your eyes,” he commands. 

 

Rhys eyes him for a minute, uncertain and still a bit uncomfortable, but he closes his eyes anyway.

 

“Now, take your pretty little cock in your hand and get yourself hard for me,” Holo-Jack says. He sounds closer, his voice darkened with lust.

 

Rhys suddenly wants nothing but to please and be pleased. He shifts onto his back and licks his his palm before taking himself in hand. He gasps at the contact.  _ It’s been a while.  _

 

Slowly, he works himself, thrusting up into his hand as Holo-Jack praises him. He aches for the older man’s touch, but his voice alone is doing wonders for him anyway.

 

“That’s it, Rhysie,” Holo-Jack says and he sounds like he’s inches from Rhys’ ear.

 

Rhys rolls his hips in time with the ministrations of his hand, gasping and moaning as he does so. “Jack,” he pleads. “Jack, please.  _ Please. _ ”

 

“Can’t read your mind, kitten--well, actually I can, but that’s beside the point,” Holo-Jack says and Rhys’ eyes fly open.

 

“You can?”

 

Holo-Jack shrugs, “We can talk about it later. Right now I just want you to come for me. Close your eyes, kitten.” The grin the hologram of Jack wears is shit eating, but Rhys closes his eyes again anyway. He  _ needs  _ to get off.

 

Suddenly his metal arm comes up and grabs him by the hair, making him curve upward as his own hand pulls his head down. He opens his eyes to find Holo-Jack staring down at him.

 

“You know how much I love pulling your hair, Rhysie. What’d you expect?” he asks the writhing man below him.

 

Rhys whines, “ _ Please  _ Jack.”

 

His hair is released and he falls back onto the mattress. He’s about to say thank you when Holo-Jack speaks again.

 

“You have no idea how badly I want to fuck you right now, kiddo. I want to fuck you until you can't stand, until you forget who you are.”--Rhys whimpers--“You remember that one time, don't you kitten? That time we fucked in the supply closet and you were so  _ wrecked  _ after that you couldn't go back to work. I had to carry you back to your apartment.”

 

“ _ Jack _ ,” Rhys begs. “Jack, don't stop.”

 

He's so close, so incredibly close.

 

Holo-Jack chuckles darkly, “You're really enjoying this.”--Rhys makes a noise of assent--“How about that time I had you in the elevator? I didn't know you were so into exhibitionism--”

 

“ _ Jack, _ ” Rhys whines.

 

“What do you want me to say, kitten? Hmm? Do you want me to tell you how incredibly  _ good _ it feels to be inside your tight little hole? Or your mouth? I love shutting you up with my cock, sweetheart. I really do,” Holo-Jack says.

 

Rhys drives into his fist with abandon, desperately chasing his release. Holo-Jack doesn't stop talking and Rhys wouldn't have it any other way.

 

His orgasm rips through him and he arches off the bed, spending across his chest and calling out Jack's name. He comes down slowly, lazily.

 

When he opens his eyes Holo-Jack is watching him with a smirk. “Have fun, kiddo?” he asks.

 

Rhys nods, “Lots.”

 

They lay in silence for a while, Rhys enjoying being the most relaxed he's been in ages and Holo-Jack watching the younger man contentedly.

 

“What was that you were saying about reading my mind?” Rhys asks suddenly. 

 

Holo-Jack laughs, “Not everything. Just some stuff.”

 

Rhys nods and they fall back into silence.

 

The younger man is just about to doze off when Holo-Jack speaks again, “I really want you to know I'm sorry, kiddo. For everything.”

 

“It's okay, Jack. I forgave you a long time ago. I've made my peace and all that bullshit,” Rhys says, waving him off.

 

“It's not okay, Rhys. I fucked up royally and you're going to let me friggin’ apologize,” Holo-Jack says, looking a bit miffed.

 

Rhys huffs a laugh, “You  _ were  _ the king. I wouldn't expect any less than royal.”

 

“That's not friggin’ funny, kiddo.”

 

Rhys shrugs, “I think so. I'm sure Angel would think so, too.”

 

Holo-Jack sighs and sits up, looking away from Rhys. “She's still mad at me, isn’t she?”

 

“You did get her killed. Though she's been handling the whole thing really well, all things considered,” Rhys says, propping himself up on his forearms.

 

Holo-Jack laughs darkly, “You didn't see her earlier today, kiddo. The way she looked at me…like I'm not her father at all. Like I'm just some monster she has the misfortune of being related to.” He pulls his legs up to his chest and rests his chin on his knees. “I think she hates me.”

 

“I can't say I'm surprised--”

 

“Thanks, kiddo. Makes me feel real good about myself. You're shit at this comforting business, ya know.”

 

“I wasn't finished, Jack,” Rhys says firmly. He desperately wishes he could hold the older man against his chest and run his fingers through his silvering hair, but words will have to be enough. “I can't say I'm surprised, but she's Angel, Jack. She's  _ your  _ daughter for fuck’s sake. When have you ever just  _ let go _ of a grudge? Never as far as I know. But as much as she hates you now, she  _ is _ your daughter and she  _ does  _ love you. Why else would she bring you back?”

 

Holo-Jack scoffs, “She did it for you, kiddo. She made that  _ very  _ clear.”

 

Rhys sighs, “Jack, just trust me. Please. She’ll come around. I promise.”

 

“Yeah, alright, kitten. Go to sleep, but clean yourself up first. Wouldn't want anyone to know what you spent the better part of your night doing--or maybe you do,” Holo-Jack jokes.

 

Rhys rolls his eyes, “Yeah, yeah.”


	7. The Morning After

When Rhys wakes, Holo-Jack is watching him sleep.

 

“I'm not sure if that's creepy or endearing,” Rhys says groggily.

 

“Time to get up, pumpkin,” Holo-Jack says. “C’mon, I let you sleep long enough.”

 

“ _ Jack _ ,” Rhys whines, burying his face in his pillow. Reluctantly he does what he's told and gets up to find some clothes.

 

Downstairs everyone stands in the kitchen, watching Angel cook breakfast. She’s definitely her father's daughter. 

 

“Morning sleepyhead,” Angel says as Rhys descends the stairs. “I was just about to send Vaughn to get you.”

 

Rhys smiles and inhales deeply. “Smells good,” he says, eyeing the omelet in the pan.

 

“You look weird, Rhys,” Vaughn blurts.

 

Rhys scratches the back of his head, “Love you too, Vaughn”

 

“He's just happy,” Sasha says, stuffing a bit of omelet in her mouth. She eyes him knowingly, “And relaxed.”

 

At that Rhys flushes. Jack had always said he was loud in bed. It was one of Jack's favorite things about him. 

 

Angel smiles, not looking up from her cooking, “How's dad?”

 

Suddenly Rhys wants to run back to his room, close the door, and never leave again.

 

“Oh stop torturing the poor guy,” Fiona says, shaking her head. “So what if he had a little fun with his boyfriend last night.” Her grin is too wide to be friendly.

 

“It has been a while,” Vaughn says awkwardly. 

 

Holo-Jack bursts into laughter beside Rhys, grasping his stomach with one hand and waving the other at his face. “Oh, kiddo, I love these friends of yours,” he says.

 

Rhys throws his hands up in exasperation, “Alright, alright! It's very funny! Ha ha Rhys’ sex life is hilarious! Would you all just shut up now!”--he eyes Holo-Jack--“That includes you.”

 

Sasha walks over to Rhys and pats him on the back, “Hey, we're sorry. Okay?”

 

“Okay,” Rhys concedes.

 

Angel hands Rhys a plate of food and turns away to start washing dishes.

 

No one makes anymore comments about Rhys or Jack through the rest of breakfast. It's all just idle banter.

 

“I was serious before,” Angel says suddenly, leaning back against the counter to face the island. “How's dad?”

 

“Tell her anything and I won't hesitate to strangle you with your own hand,” Holo-Jack threatens. 

 

Rhys sighs, “We need to talk later, Angel.”

 

Angel nods.


	8. Hate Me Today, But Not Tomorrow

“You wanted to see me?” Angel says, entering Rhys’ office and closing the door behind herself.

 

“Ya know, Rhysie, my office was  _ way  _ cooler,” Holo-Jack says suddenly.

 

Rhys rolls his eyes, “Yeah, sorry I went to the giant head store and turns out they don’t have any Rhys heads. Sucks for me, don’t it?”

 

Angel snickers as she takes a seat in one of the armchairs opposite the desk. “Am I interrupting something?”

 

Rhys shakes his head, “Nope. Jack was just--being Jack.”--he shakes his head again--“Anyway, that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

 

“About Jack?”

 

“Yeah, well--”

 

“Rhysie, don’t you dare,” Holo-Jack warns, stalking over to Rhys, examination of the bookshelf abandoned.

 

Rhys decides not to listen and continues anyway, “Jack’s under the impression you hate him. I told him--”

 

“I do. Hate him, I mean. He’s my father and all, but that doesn’t excuse his actions. You can play pretend all you want, Rhysie, but the man’s a monster. I only brought him back for you. I couldn’t care less if he rotted in Nakayama’s office for the rest of this planet’s miserable existence,” Angel says, expression as calm and unchanging as her tone.

 

“I told you,” Holo-Jack says solemnly, leaning on Rhys’ chair and watching his daughter.

 

“Jack--”

 

“No, Rhys. She’s right and I have to accept that,” Holo-Jack interrupts. “Just tell her I’m sorry. I need some time alone.” He sighs and disappears.

 

Angel follows Rhys’ gaze to look over his shoulder. “What’s he saying?” she asks.

 

Rhys shakes his head, “Nothing, anymore. He wanted you to know he’s sorry, though.”

 

Angel scoffs, “He’s sorry?”

 

“Yes, Angel. He’s allowed to feel guilt and regret. As big and bad as Handsome Jack was, Jack is still human. I think people forget that,” Rhys says sharply.

 

“He’s not human, dad. He’s an A.I. living in your head,” Angel says, shaking her head and rising from her seat. “And he’s not sorry.”

 

Rhys reaches out and grabs Angel by the wrist to keep her from leaving. “You didn’t see him last night. You didn’t see the look in his eyes. You didn’t see him after you…Angel he loves you. He’s your father and he regrets what he’s done. Why isn’t that enough?” Rhys questions.

 

Angel rips her hand from his grip and her expression shifts to something vile and angry. “Because I know my father and that man--that  _ monster  _ is physically incapable of feeling anything even remotely resemblant of remorse. How you could love a man like that is beyond me, Rhysie,” Angel snarls, voice rising until she’s practically screaming.

 

Rhys stands from his chair to gain what little height he has over the fifteen year old. “Angel, I’m going to say this once. Just once. Your father-- _ Jack _ \--isn’t a good man, but you and I never cared. He was good to me and damn it all if he wasn’t good to you, too. He did what he did to protect--he didn’t do it with the intention of hurting you. Jack loves you, Angel. That might mean nothing to you right now, but it means something to me. You didn’t see him after you died, Angel. The man lost whatever was left of his sanity. It wasn’t just the vaults that killed him; it was losing you, too,” Rhys says and his voice has lost any venom it might’ve had. He realizes he’s pleading with her now.

 

“You’re just as bad as he is,” Angel says coldly, storming toward the door and slamming it closed behind her.

 

Holo-Jack doesn’t come back for several hours. Rhys is on his walk back to his place when he does.

 

“She didn’t mean that, kiddo,” the hologram says suddenly.

 

“No? It really seemed like she did.”

 

Holo-Jack sighs, “C’mon, Rhys. You  _ know  _ she didn’t mean it. You’re a way better man than I am.”

 

_ You’re way better at killing people than I am.  _

 

Rhys cringes, “I’m not. Leave me alone, Jack.”

 

“I didn’t mean--”

 

“Go away, Jack,” Rhys says firmly.

 

“Fine, whatever you want, kiddo.”

 

Rhys doesn’t see him again for a while and Angel seems to have disappeared as well. When it hits a week, Rhys decides that enough is enough.

 

“Vaughn, remember how you put tracking devices in the ID badges?” Rhys asks, catching the smaller man off guard in the hallway.

 

Vaughn startles and Rhys has to grab him by the collar to keep him from face planting. “Uh, yeah, I remember that,” Vaughn admits sheepishly.

 

“I need you to put your mild paranoia to use and find me Angel. I haven’t seen her in a week and I don’t think she’s been coming home,” Rhys says, concern lacing his voice.

 

Vaughn nods, “Yeah, sure, bro. Whatever you need.”

 

“I have another favor to ask,” Rhys says a little apprehensively.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I need you to hit me,” he says.

 

“Uh why?” Vaughn asks, eyeing his friend suspiciously as they make their way to Vaughn’s office.

 

“I haven’t seen Jack in a while either, and it always worked with--”

 

“I’m gonna stop you right there and tell you that’s the stupidest thing that’s ever come out of that perfect mouth of yours, kitten,” Holo-Jack says, appearing at his side.

 

Rhys looks away shamefully, “Never mind, Vaughn.”

 

Once in Vaughn’s office Rhys takes up position behind him as the smaller man works away at his computer.

 

“I can’t believe you misplaced my daughter,” Holo-Jack says, shaking his head and crossing his arms.

 

“I didn’t  _ misplace  _ Angel, Jack. She just hasn’t been around. There’s a difference,” Rhys says, side eyeing the hologram.

 

Vaughn shakes his head and mutters something similar to  _ remind me why I agreed to be your friend again _ . “Uh, Rhys, did you check her office?” the smaller man questions, looking up at his friend. “Because it says that’s where she is.”

 

Rhys doesn’t answer and instead heads to Angel’s office with Holo-Jack in tow. The door is locked, but that can’t stop Rhys. He owns the whole damn building, did she really think she could keep him out? He enters the master code and opens the door.

 

Inside Angel is asleep at her desk, resting in a pile of papers and drooling.

 

“She gets that from you, pumpkin,” Holo-Jack says in Rhys’ ear.

 

Rhys waves him off as he approaches the desk. “Hey, Angel, wake up munchkin,” he says, shaking her shoulder slightly.

 

Angel shoots up, looking around frantically with a sticky note stuck to her cheek. “Wha…who…daddy?” she questions.

 

“Yeah. What’re you doing sleeping here? You have a bed of your own, you know,” Rhys tells her, pulling the sticky note off her cheek and placing it back on the desk.

 

“I--I know. I just…I didn’t think you’d want me around after what I said,” she says.

 

“Angel…” Holo-Jack and Rhys say in unison, though Angel can only hear the latter.

 

Angel sighs and stares down at the drool coated papers. “I wanted to apologize for that, by the way,” she says. “It was a childish thing to say. I didn’t mean it. I just--I was angry. Still am, a bit. I guess I get that from dad. I wanted to make it up to you--to both of you. So I’ve been working on something.”

 

Rhys watches as she rises, gathering papers and bringing them around the desk to hand to Rhys. “R&D said I needed your approval before they started to work on it, but I’ve been looking through some of the files we got from Project Guardian Angel  _ and  _ I think--combined with what I got from Nakayama, who was freakishly obsessed by the way--we can get dad into a body,” she says, smiling shyly. “I didn’t know how else I could make it up to you both.”

 

“Angel,” Holo-Jack says softly, lovingly.

 

“Jack says thanks,” Rhys tells her with a smile. “ _ I  _ say thanks.” He reaches out, wrapping her in his arms and crinkling the papers in the process.

 

“You’re both welcome,” Angel says, wrapping her own arms around Rhys.


	9. A Reunion to Remember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and nsfw. What more could you ask for?

Rhys, Angel, and Holo-Jack spend the next several weeks going over the details of Project Even More Handsome Jack--as Holo-Jack had dubbed it. The project begins slowly, but moves at a steady pace and Rhys is pleased with the progress.

 

Angel wakes Rhys in the middle of the night, shaking him and calling his name.

 

“What is it, Angel?” Rhys ask groggily, trying to curl away from her and back into his blankets.

 

“ _ It’s finished _ ,” she whispers with barely contained excitement.

 

Holo-Jack snaps his fingers in front of Rhys’ face. “You heard her, kiddo. Get your ass down to R&D so we can come back here and celebrate,” Holo-Jack says, waggling his eyebrows.

 

Rhys does what’s asked of him, shrugging into a worn Hyperion sweater and pulling on some equally worn sweatpants. He follows Angel through Atlas as she leads them to R&D.

 

Upon arrival the nerds scatter and Rhys is left to wonder if they’re afraid of him or the prospect of Jack returning from the grave.

 

They approach a tank similar to the one he’d found Angel in, though Jack is lacking the thermal bandages.

 

“Jesus, you couldn’t have given him pants?” Angel complains, keeping her eyes away from the tank as she works the controls. “Rhys come here.”

 

She seats Rhys beside the tank and connects him, cringing slightly at the discomfort on his face. “Alright. Time to transfer Jack’s consciousness into…well into his body,” Angel says, moving back to the console. Her fingers dance over the keys and Rhys feels a jolt.

 

Rhys disconnects himself from the tank as the nutrient fluid drains out and watches as the glass opens.

 

Jack’s eyes fly open and he inhales sharply, making a move to step out of the tank and instead collapsing into Rhys’ waiting arms. Angel brings over a lab coat and Rhys wraps it around Jack.

 

As Rhys tries to warm the older man, Jack twists in his arms to press his mouth against Rhys’. It’s slow at first as if Jack’s unsure of his own body, but it quickly shifts into urgent, needy kissing that has them both breathing hard when they break away.

 

“Damn, I friggin’ missed that,” Jack says, looking up at Rhys dreamily.

 

Angel makes a disgusted noise, “I trust you two can make it from here on your own?”

 

Jack turns his attention to Angel. “Hey, c’mere and give your dad a hug, hmm? I missed you,” he says, opening his arms to welcome her and in the process letting the lab coat fall away.

 

Angel shrieks and turns away instantly. “I’m going to go home and I’m going to listen to music very loud. With headphones on and a pillow over my face to hopefully suffocate me in my sleep,” she says as she starts to walk away. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

 

“Jack,” Rhys says, pulling the older man in for another kiss. “Let’s go home.”

 

Back in Rhys’ bedroom, Jack wastes no time shedding his lab coat and yanking off Rhys’ clothes, too.

 

Jack runs his hands along the younger man’s sides, dragging his nails as he goes. He trails bites and kisses from his jaw to his collarbone, moving down his chest with growing urgency. He pushes Rhys backward onto the bed, unable to wait a moment longer. He  _ needs  _ this.

 

“Jack--mmph--Jack wait, please,” Rhys begs below the older man, panting hard.

 

Reluctantly Jack stops, hovering over Rhys with his knees on either side of his waist. “What, kitten?” he grinds out, struggling to keep himself from resuming his previous actions.

 

Rhys smiles and stares.

 

He’s never seen Jack without the scar before--he almost misses it. Though its absence means goodbye mask and that’s something Rhys can get with. Jack’s always been better built than Rhys, but the older man had insisted on winding back the clock at least a little bit. Rhys wasn’t complaining.

 

“Ah, fuck I love you, Jack,” Rhys says, pulling the older man back down on top of him.

 

Jack smiles against Rhys’ throat, “Love you too, kitten.”

 

“Now let’s get back to tearing you in two, yeah?” Jack says, sinking his teeth into Rhys’ shoulder, making the younger man moan.

 

“ _ Jack, _ ” Rhys gasps.

 

The older man hums as he works his way down. “Right here, Rhysie,” he promises, kissing along his chest and abdomen to his cock. He gives him a tentative lick and Rhys gasps, shifting his hips upward in askance.

 

Jack doesn’t torture him long, taking the younger man’s cock in his mouth to work him over. His skillful tongue swirls over the head before he swallows all of him--humming when it hits the back of his throat.

 

“ _ Jack _ ,” Rhys pleads. “Jack, I need-- _ need you. _ ”

 

The older man is too desperate to toy with Rhys right now and reluctantly takes his mouth off the younger man in favor of sifting through the nightstand.

 

Rhys recognizes the familiar sounds and it makes heat coil inside him. Impatient as ever, he ruts up against nothing as he waits for Jack to come back around.

 

A slick digit probes his entrance and Rhys pushes back against it, quivering in barely contained want. He knows Jack’s trying to go slow for his sake, but he doesn’t want slow. He wants to be fucked, hard, fast, whatever. He just wants it  _ now _ .

 

“Just f-- _ fuck me  _ already,” Rhys complains, voice strained.

 

Unwilling to deny himself--or Rhys, for that matter--any longer, Jack slicks himself up and drives into Rhys. 

 

The younger man keens, arcing up against Jack as he tangles his bionic hand in the sheets and uses the other to claw at the older man’s back. He cries out on every thrust and his eyes flutter closed as Jack finds the spot that has him screaming.

 

Jack’s muttering encouragements and dirty nonsense in Rhys’ ear as his thrusts become erratic.

 

A litany of  _ please  _ and  _ yes  _ and  _ Jack  _ falls from Rhys’ lips as he buries his head in the juncture of Jack’s neck and collarbone.

 

Delicious ecstasy swallows Rhys whole and he keens as he comes, biting the soft flesh of Jack’s throat.

 

The older man’s hips stutter and halt as his release finds him, buried to the hilt in Rhys and groaning hoarsely.

 

They lay together like that for a long time, catching their breath, tangled in each other’s embrace.

 

“That’s one way to break in a new body,” Jack jokes.

 

Rhys laughs, but his voice is hoarse and it comes out sounding somewhat pained. “Jack,” he croaks.

 

Jack chuckles and angles himself up to look down at Rhys, brushing hair from the younger man’s eyes. “Yeah, screaming will do that to you, kiddo,” he says surprisingly gently.

 

When Rhys doesn’t speak again, Jack takes it upon himself to get him some water. “Stay here, kitten,” he tells the younger man, separating them and making his way to the bathroom.

 

He returns with a glass of water that he hands to Rhys and a damp towel he uses to wipe the both of them clean with. He tosses the towel in the general direction of the hamper before settling into bed with Rhys.

 

Rhys places the glass on the nightstand. “Thanks, Jack,” he says softly, curling up around the other man.

 

Jack hums and pulls Rhys on top of him, “Anytime, kitten.”

 

“Jack,” Rhys starts, snuggling against Jack as he uses his chest as a pillow.

 

“Yes?”

 

Rhys presses a kiss to Jack’s clavicle. “I missed you.”

 

Jack strokes Rhys’ hair. “Missed you, too, kitten.”

 

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” Rhys says.

 

“Never, Rhysie. Never,” Jack promises, tightening his grip on the younger man. “I love you, Rhys.”

 

“Love you, too, Jack,” Rhys murmurs as he drifts into sleep.


	10. Epilogue

“Take me through that ah”--Rhys gasps--“again,” he says, leaning forward on the desk to rest his chin in his palm.

 

The men before Rhys shift uncomfortably.

 

“Go on then, take me through another one of your boring presentations on budget and stocks,” Rhys growls and then hisses.

 

When no one makes a move to speak, Rhys slams his fist on the desk, “Either one of you starts talking or you all get out. Make your choice or my gun will make it for you.”

 

Rhys has never seen anyone leave his office in such a hurry before. He relaxes back into the chair. “You’re enjoying this too much, Jack,” Rhys says, eyeing the man on his knees beneath his desk.

 

Jack hums in response, the vibrations on Rhys’ cock making him whimper and squirm. The older man takes him to the root, the head of Rhys’ cock hitting the back of his throat. 

 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Rhys breathes.

 

Jack takes his mouth off him briefly and trades his mouth for his hand. “I believe I win, Rhysie,” he says with a smirk.

 

Rhys growls and grabs Jack by the hair to pull him back to his cock. Jack doesn’t protest much when Rhys decides to just fuck his mouth until he comes.

 

His orgasm hits him hard and sudden, Jack swallowing everything the younger man has to give.

 

Jack pushes Rhys’ chair back just enough he can get up. He stretches his limbs and watches Rhys as he begins to stuff himself back into his pants. “You’ve got quite a good thing going here, kiddo,” he says suddenly.

 

Rhys rises from his chair and puts his hands to the desk on either side of Jack. “It’s good to be king,” Rhys says with a smirk.

 

“Is it? What does that make me, huh?”

 

“Why, my princess of course,” Rhys says, wrapping his arms around Jack’s waist and pulling him close. He nuzzles the older man’s neck and hums. “Of course I could be persuaded to make you queen.”

 

Jack laughs. “Of course,” he echoes back.

 

“I really missed you, Jack,” Rhys says, pulling back to look Jack in the eyes. He can see his affection echoed back at him in heterochromatic eyes.

  
Jack runs his hand up and down the younger man’s back, slowly. “Yeah, I love you too, Rhys. You big friggin’ softie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed and had fun! I'm working on some other Rhack stuff (Not connected). If you want to prompt my tumblr feel free. I am always happy for the inspiration! thelilybird.tumblr.com I love you all! <3


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